Presettable gas valve

ABSTRACT

A presettable gas valve is disclosed herein. The gas valve may have a maximum gas flow that can be adjusted to the particular requirements of the fireplace in which the gas valve is used. By way of example and not limitation, for real biomass/fuel burning fireplaces, the gas valve may be opened to its maximum level with a quarter turn of a handle. In contrast, for fake fireplaces, which require more gas flow compared to real fireplaces, the gas valve may be opened to its maximum level with a half turn of the handle. The maximum gas flow through the gas valve may be set during installation such that the user does not need to manually determine the appropriate amount of gas during use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a gas valve wherein its maximum gasflow can be adjusted during installation.

Modern fireplaces are operated with the assistance of supplemental fire.In particular, a combustible gas is routed to the fireplace which can beignited to assist in the initial ignition of a fuel source of a realfireplace or continued illumination of a fake fireplace. Real fireplacesthat burn biomass may typically require assistance with the initialignition of the biomass. To this extent, the combustible gas is ignitedto initiate the burning of the biomass in the real fireplace. For fakefireplaces, the combustible gas is ignited and left on to simulate theburning of real biomass (e.g., wood).

The amount of gas flow needed for the real fireplace and the fakefireplace is different. In real fireplaces, less combustible gas isneeded compared to fake fireplaces. To adjust the amount of gas flowthrough the fireplace, the user manually adjusts a gas valve thatcontrols the gas flow of the combustible gas to the fireplace. Ifadditional gas flow or fire/heat is desired or needed, then the gasvalve is manually opened. However, if less gas flow is needed, then theuser will manually close the gas valve.

Unfortunately, home owners, operators and users may be unaware of theappropriate amount of gas flow required for their particular fireplace(e.g., fake or real fireplace). As a result, the user or operator mayflow too much gas into the fireplace thereby inefficiently operating thefireplace.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need in the art for an improvedgas valve for fireplaces.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention addresses the needs discussed above, discussedbelow and those that are known in the art.

A gas valve that can be preset to regulate gas supplied to a realfireplace or a fake fireplace is disclosed. The gas valve can be openedto allow gas to flow through the gas valve by turning a valve shaft witha handle. An installer can limit the maximum rotation of the valve shaftto limit the maximum gas flow that can flow through the gas valve.Depending on the type of fireplace the gas valve is installed on, thegas valve can be preset such that the maximum gas flow through the gasvalve provides the appropriate amount of gas to the fireplace. Moreparticularly, the gas valve may have a valve body with an adjustablefirst adapter which defines a limit surface. The valve shaft may have apin which protrudes outwardly. When the valve shaft is rotated, the pinmay contact the limit surface of the first adapter. Since the firstadapter may be fixed to the valve body of the gas valve, the pin andvalve shaft can no longer rotate when the pin contacts the limitsurface. This sets a maximum opening of the gas valve and the maximumgas flow through the gas valve. To increase or decrease the amount ofgas flow when the valve shaft has been rotated to its maximum extent,the first adapter may be rotated in the appropriate direction to blockrotation of the valve shaft and pin either earlier or later torespectively decrease or increase the maximum gas flow that can flowthrough the gas valve.

More particularly, a gas valve for regulating gas supplied to afireplace is disclosed. The valve may comprise a valve body, a valvemember, a valve shaft, a pin and a first adapter. The valve body mayhave an input port connectable to a gas source, an output port forsupplying combustible gas to the fireplace, a stem portion with aninternal thread, and a seat defining a gas passageway disposed betweenthe input port and the output port so that the gas flowing into thevalve from the input port flows out of the valve through the output portby way of the gas passageway. The valve member may be selectivelytraversable closer to or further away from the seat for regulating gasflowing through the gas passageway. The valve shaft may be attached tothe valve member and threadably engaged to the internal thread. Thevalve shaft may be rotateable for traversing the valve member closer toor further away from the seat. The pin may be attached to the valveshaft and protrude radially outward from the valve shaft. The firstadapter may be stationary with respect to the valve body. The firstadapter may have a limit surface for limiting rotation of the valveshaft to limit maximum gas flow through the gas passageway.

The gas valve may further comprise a second adapter mounted to the valvebody. The first adapter may be rotateably mounted to the second adapterfor adjusting the maximum gas flow. The gas valve may further comprise aset screw threaded into a side of the second adapter and frictionallyengageable to the first adapter for providing an option to fix anangular position of the first adapter with respect to the pin byfrictionally engaging the set screw to the first adapter to limit themaximum gas flow or to allow free rotation of the first adapter withinthe second adapter by loosening the set screw so that the maximum gasflow is not limited by the limit surface.

The valve body may have an external thread. The valve may furthercomprise a front flange with internal threads threadably engageable tothe external threads of the valve body. A distal end portion of thevalve shaft may have a square configuration connectable to a gas valvehandle.

The first adapter may have a protrusion defining the limit surface. Theprotrusion may further define an opposing surface positioned 180 degreesaway from the limit surface.

A method of installing a presettable gas valve to a fireplace is alsodisclosed. The method may comprise the steps of connecting thepresettable gas valve to a combustible gas source and to the fireplace,closing the presettable gas valve, positioning a limit surface of thefirst adapter an angular distance away from a pin attached to a shaft ofthe presettable gas valve, and fixing an angular position of the firstadapter to set a maximum gas flow through the gas valve.

The method may further comprise the step of testing the maximum gas flowthrough the gas valve to determine whether the maximum gas flow isappropriate for the fireplace. The method may further comprise the stepof repositioning the limit surface of the first adapter to readjust themaximum gas flow through the gas valve. The positioning step maycomprise the step of rotating the first adapter within a second adapter.Also, the fixing step may comprise the step of tightening a set screwonto the first adapter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodimentsdisclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the followingdescription and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like partsthroughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a presettable gas valve;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional assembled view of the presettable gas valveshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the gas valve shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the gas valve shown in FIG. 2 with afirst adapter rotated ninety degrees (90°) compared to the first adaptershown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the first adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, a presettable gas valve 10 is shown.During installation of the presettable gas valve 10, a maximum gas flowthrough the gas valve 10 can be increased or decreased by rotating andsetting an angular position of a first adapter 12. The first adapter 12blocks rotation of a pin 14 attached to a valve shaft 16 that opens andcloses the gas valve 10. Limiting rotation of the pin 14 and the valveshaft 16 limits the maximum opening of the gas valve 10 and the gas flowthrough the gas valve 10. The angular position of the first adapter 12can be set such that the first adapter 12 blocks rotation of the pin 14and valve shaft 16 earlier or later to respectively decrease or increasethe maximum gas flow through the valve.

By way of example and not limitation, the maximum rotation of the valveshaft 16 shown in FIG. 3 is one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°). To lowerthe maximum rotation of the valve shaft 16 and maximum gas flow throughthe presettable gas valve 10, a set screw 20 can be loosened (see FIG.4), the first adapter 12 rotated in the clockwise direction (see FIG. 4)as desired then the set screw 20 can be tightened via an allen wrench 21to fix the angular position of the first adapter 12. This blocksrotation of the pin 14 and the valve shaft 16 earlier. In FIGS. 3 and 4,the first adapter 12 is rotated ninety degrees (90°) in the clockwisedirection. The pin 14 and the valve shaft 16 can now only be rotatedninety degrees (90°) in the counterclockwise direction. The firstadapter 12 can be placed at any angular position to increase or decreasethe maximum gas flow through the presettable gas valve 10 as needed ordesired by the type of fireplace 22.

Alternatively, the set screw 20 may remain loose such that the gas valve10 is capable of being fully opened. When the pin 14 contacts a limitsurface 18 of the first adapter 12, the pin 14 pushes the first adapter12 and further rotates the first adapter 12 in the counterclockwisedirection when opening the gas valve 10. The first adapter 12 does notlimit counterclockwise rotation of the valve shaft 16 and the pin 14.The valve shaft 16 can be rotated greater than 360 degrees.

More particularly, referring now to FIG. 2, the gas valve 10 may behooked up to a combustible gas source 24 (e.g., propane, natural gas,etc.) to provide additional heat to a fireplace 22 such as duringinitial ignition of a biomass/fuel within the fireplace 22 or continuedillumination and heating in a fake fireplace 22. The combustible gassource 24 may be placed in fluid communication to an input port 26 ofthe gas valve 10. Gas is flowed from the combustible gas source 24through the input port 26 and to a gas passageway 28. When the gas valve10 is opened, the gas may flow through the gas passageway 28 and out ofan output port 30 to the fireplace 22. The output port 30 may beconnected to a log lighter such as a BLUE FLAME log lighter manufacturedby BLUE FLAME. The log lighter may be placed under a fire grate forholding up the biomass/fuel or fake logs to assist in the initialignition of the biomass/fuel or continued illumination and heating ofthe fake logs.

The gas valve 10 may comprise a valve body 32 which defines the inputport 26, gas passageway 28 and the output port 30 as well as a stemportion 34. To open the gas valve 10 or allow gas to flow through thegas passageway 28, a valve member 36 is lifted off of a seat 38 thatdefines the gas passageway 28. The gas flows through the gas valve 10 asshown by the dash line 39 (see FIG. 2) when the valve member 36 islifted off of the seat 38. The valve member 36 may be fabricated from agenerally elastomeric material or other suitable material so as to becapable of forming an airtight seal with the seat 38 despite thepressure upstream of the gas passageway 28, namely, the side of thecombustible gas source 24. When the valve member 36 is in contact and ispressed against the seat 38, the valve member 36 forms an airtight sealwith the seat 38 to prevent the flow of gas through the gas passageway28 of the gas valve 10.

To traverse the valve member 36 closer to and in contact with the seat38 or further away from the seat 38, the valve member 36 may be mountedto the valve shaft 16. A distal end of the valve shaft 16 may have aplatform 42 (see FIG. 2) for cradling and supporting the valve member36. To retain the valve member 36 to the platform 42, the valve member36 may have a through hole through which a screw 44 is inserted. Thehead of the screw 44 cinches the valve member 36 to the platform 42 andis threaded into the valve shaft 16. The valve shaft 16 may also have athreaded section 46 which can be threaded onto internal threads 48 ofthe stem portion 34 of the valve body 32. The threaded section 46 andthe internal threads 48 may follow the right hand rule. When the valveshaft 16 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction 49 (see FIG. 2),the valve member 36 is traversed away from the seat 38 opening the valve10. Conversely, when the valve shaft 16 is rotated in the clockwisedirection 51 (see FIG. 2), then the valve member 36 is traversed towardthe seat 38 closing the valve 10.

The first adapter 12 may be mounted to the valve body 32 with theassistance of a second adapter 50. The second adapter 50 may haveexternal threads 52 which may be threaded onto a second internal thread54 of the stem portion 34. The threaded section 46 may have coarserthreads compared to the external threads 52 of the second adapter 50. Assuch, the stem portion 34 may have two different types of threads 48, 54for receiving the threaded section 46 of the valve shaft 16 and theexternal threads 52 of the second adapter 50. It is also contemplatedthat the internal threads 48, 54 of the stem portion 34 may beidentical. In this instance, the threaded section 46 and the externalthreads 52 of the second adapter 50 are also the same type of threads soas to be threadably engageable to the internal threads 48, 54 of thestem portion 34. The second adapter 50 may additionally have a wrenchingsurface 56 (see FIG. 1) for threadably engaging the external threads 52of the second adapter 50 into the second internal threads 54 of the stemportion 34.

The second adapter 50 may be cinched onto the stem portion 34 to preventrotation of the second adapter 50 during use. Alternatively, a threadlocking material may be applied to the external threads 52 of the secondadapter 50 and/or the internal threads 54 of the stem portion 34. Afterthe second adapter 50 is threaded into the stem portion 34, the threadlocking material is allowed to cure and secure the second adapter 50 tothe stem portion 34. This prevents rotation of the second adapter 50from the stem portion 34 during operation.

To assemble the gas valve 10, the valve shaft 16 is inserted through acentral aperture 58 (see FIG. 1) of the second adapter 50. The secondadapter 50 is threaded onto the internal threads 54 of the stem portion34. The second adapter 50 is locked in place with a thread lockingmaterial and/or cinching the second adapter 50 onto the stem portion 34.With the second adapter 50 locked in place, the first adapter 12 isinserted into the central aperture 58 of the second adapter 50. Thefirst adapter 12 may have a central aperture 60 (see FIG. 1) whichreceives the valve shaft 16. The pin 14 is now attached to the valveshaft 16 and rotatable between limit surface 18 and opposing surface 72(see FIGS. 1 and 3-5). The first adapter 12 may have a base portion 62that is received into the central aperture 58 of the second adapter 50.The first adapter 12 may additionally have a lip 64 (see FIG. 2) whichcontacts a proximal end 66 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the second adapter 50.This limits the insertion depth of the first adapter 12 into the secondadapter 50.

Rotation of the first adapter 12 within the second adapter 50 can belimited by way of the set screw 20. In particular, the wrenching surface56 (see FIG. 1) of the second adapter 50 may have a threaded hole 69(see FIG. 1) for receiving the set screw 20. The set screw 20 may bethreaded into the threaded hole 69 formed in the wrenching surface 56until a distal end 71 (see FIG. 3) of the set screw 20 frictionallyengages the base portion 62 (see FIG. 3) of the first adapter 12.

The first adapter 12 may have a protrusion 70 (see FIG. 1) that definesthe limit surface 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 3-5). When the set screw 20frictionally engages the base portion 62 of the first adapter 12, thefirst adapter 12 cannot rotate. The pin 14, which extends radiallyoutward from the valve shaft 16, contacts the limit surface 18 of theprotrusion 70 of the first adapter 12 when the valve shaft 16 is rotatedin the counterclockwise direction. As discussed above, when the valveshaft 16 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the valve member36 is traversed away from the seat 38. The pin 14 contacts the limitsurface 18 of the protrusion 70 of the first adapter 12 and cannot berotated beyond the angular position of the limit surface 18 since theset screw 20 prevents rotation of the first adapter 12. As such,rotation of the valve shaft 16 is limited and the amount of opening orgap created between the valve member 36 and the seat 38 iscorrespondingly limited when the pin 14 contacts the limit surface 18.The gas passageway 28 is opened to its maximum amount based on thepreset limit of the first adapter 12. In the example shown in FIG. 3,the valve shaft 16 can be rotated by one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°)in the open or counterclockwise direction. Once the valve shaft 16 hasbeen rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°), the pin 14 contacts thelimit surface 18. The valve shaft 16 stops rotating at this point. Thegas valve 10 may now be closed after use by rotating the valve shaft 16in the clockwise direction. When the valve shaft 16 is rotatedone-hundred-eighty degrees (180°) in the clockwise direction, the valvemember 36 contacts and presses against the seat 38 to close or shut offany gas flow through the valve 10. At this point, the pin 14 may be incontact with, barely touching or gapped away from an opposing surface 72of the protrusion 70. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the valve shaft 16can be rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°) in the counterclockwisedirection to open the valve 10. Contact of the pin 14 with the limitsurface 18 limits the maximum amount of opening of the gas valve 10.

The maximum opening of the gas valve 10 can also be reduced by reducingthe maximum rotation of the valve shaft 16 in the counterclockwisedirection to less than one-hundred-eighty degrees (180°). In particular,the set screw 20 is loosened so as to frictionally disengage the setscrew 20 from the base portion 62 of the first adapter 12, as shown inFIG. 4. The first adapter 12 is now rotateable within the second adapter50. To reduce the amount of gas flow through the gas valve 10 by half,the first adapter 12 may be rotated in the clockwise direction ninetydegrees (90°) as shown in FIG. 4. Also, the set screw 20 is nowtightened. In this example, the valve shaft 16 may be rotated in thecounterclockwise direction ninety degrees (90°). Adjustments can be madeto limit the maximum opening of a gas passageway 28 by adjusting theangular position of the first adapter 12 in relation to the pin 14.

Alternative embodiments of the first adapter 12 are also contemplated.By way of example and not limitation, the angular distance between anopposing surface 72 of the protrusion 70 a of the first adapter 12 a maybe ninety degrees (90°) away from the limit surface 18 as shown in FIG.5. The total possible rotational angle of the valve shaft 16 is nowtwo-hundred-seventy degrees (270°) instead of one-hundred-eighty degrees(180°). This allows the installer to have a wider adjustment range suchthat the maximum rotation of the valve shaft 16 can be limited from zerodegrees (0°) to two-hundred-seventy degrees (270°). The angular distancebetween the opposing surface 72 of the protrusion 70 may be any degreeaway from the limit surface 18, specifically, twenty degrees (20°) tothree-hundred-forty degrees (340°).

The gas valve 10 may additionally have a packing 78 and a washer plate80. The packing 78 and washer plate 80 may be disposed within the stemportion 34 of the valve body 32 between the threaded section 46 of thevalve shaft 16 and the second adapter 50. The packing 78 provides agenerally airtight seal between the stem portion 34 and the valve shaft16 such that gas does not escape through the stem portion 34 when thegas valve 10 is open and gas is flowing through the gas passageway 28.

After the angular position of the first adapter 12 is set, a frontflange 82 having internal threads 84 may be threaded over externalthreads 86 of the stem portion 34 of the valve body 32. The front flange82 covers a hole formed in wall 88 next to the fireplace 22.

To install the gas valve 10, the valve body 32 is connected to acombustible gas source 24. The valve body 32 is disposed behind the wall88 with its stem portion 34 aligned to an opening formed in the wall 88such that a valve handle 90 may engage the valve shaft 16 to rotate thesame and open and close the gas valve 10. Initially, the front flange 82is removed from the stem portion 34 of the valve body 32. The set screw20 is loosened such that the first adapter 12 can freely rotate withinthe second adapter 50. The valve shaft 16 is then rotated in theclockwise direction such that the valve member 36 is seated onto theseat 38 and the gas valve 10 is now closed. At this point, the firstadapter 12 is rotated until the limit surface 18 of the first adapter 12is at a desired angle away from the pin 14. By way of example and notlimitation, for fake fireplaces, the gas passageway 28 can be opened toa greater extent compared to real biomass/log burning fireplaces 22.When the gas valve 10 is installed to a fake fireplace, the limitsurface 18 of the first adapter 12 may be set one-hundred-eighty degrees(180°) away from the pin 14. In contrast, for real biomass/log burningfireplaces 22, the limit surface 18 may be set ninety degrees (90°) awayfrom the pin 14. This will allow more combustible gas to flow throughthe gas valve 10 for fake fireplaces 22 and less gas to flow through thegas valve 10 for real biomass/log burning fireplaces 22. Once the firstadapter 12 and its angular position is set such that the limit surface18 is the appropriate angular distance away from the pin 14, the setscrew 20 is retightened such that the distal end of the set screw 20frictionally engages the base portion 62 of the first adapter 12 andlocks the position of the first adapter 12. The installer may test thegas valve 10 to ensure that the correct amount of gas is flowing throughthe gas valve 10 when the gas passageway 28 is opened to its maximumextent. To increase or decrease the maximum opening of the gaspassageway 28, the set screw 20 is loosened, the first adapter 12 isrotated within the second adapter 50 in the appropriate direction, thenthe set screw 20 is retightened to lock the first adapter 12 to thesecond adapter 50. Once the maximum opening of the gas passageway 28 isset appropriately, the front flange is inserted through the hole of thewall 88 and threaded onto the stem portion 34. During normal operation,a user may insert the handle 90 through the front flange 82. A distalend portion 92 of the handle 90 may have a square cavity for receiving asquare shaped distal end portion of the valve shaft 16. In this manner,the handle 90 may be used to rotate the valve shaft 16 clockwise as wellas counterclockwise to open and close the gas valve 10.

The gas valve 10 disclosed herein is set such that the maximum gas flowthrough the gas valve 10 provides the appropriate amount of gas flow tothe fireplace 22. No adjustments are necessary after installation. Theuser need only open the gas valve 10 to its maximum opening and theappropriate amount of gas flow is provided to the fireplace 22. As such,an excessive amount of gas is not provided to the fireplace 22 and thefireplace 22 may be efficiently operated.

The installer of the gas valve 10 may have at least two differentoptions. The installer can set the maximum gas flow through the gasvalve 10 by tightening the set screw 20. When the pin 14 contacts thelimit surface 18, the pin 14 and the valve shaft 16 cannot rotate anyfurther. The angular position of the first adapter 12 can be set by theinstaller to control and set the maximum gas flow as desired or neededby the fireplace. Alternatively, the installer can loosen the set screw20. When the pin 14 contacts the limit surface 18 of the first adapter12, the pin rotates the first adapter 12. The first adapter and thelimit surface 18 does not stop rotation of the pin 14 and the valveshaft 16. The fireplace user manually adjusts the opening of the gasvalve 10 to control the amount of gas is provided to the fireplace.

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation.Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devisevariations that are within the scope and spirit of the inventiondisclosed herein, including various ways of attaching the front flange82 to the stem portion 34 of the valve body 32. Further, the variousfeatures of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or invarying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limitedto the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of theclaims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.

1. A gas valve for regulating gas supplied to a fireplace, the valvecomprising: a valve body having an input port connectable to a gassource, an output port for supplying combustible gas to the fireplace, astem portion with an internal thread, and a seat defining a gaspassageway disposed between the input port and the output port so thatthe gas flowing into the valve from the input port flows out of thevalve through the output port by way of the gas passageway; a valvemember selectively traversable closer to or further away from the seatfor regulating gas flowing through the gas passageway; a valve shaftattached to the valve member and threadably engaged to the internalthread, the valve shaft being rotateable for traversing the valve membercloser to or further away from the seat; a pin attached to the valveshaft protruding radially outward from the valve shaft; a first adapterstationary with respect to the valve body, the adapter having a limitsurface for limiting rotation of the valve shaft to limit maximum gasflow through the gas passageway; a second adapter mounted to the valvebody, the first adapter rotateably mounted to the second adapter foradjusting the maximum gas flow; and a set screw threaded into a side ofthe second adapter and frictionally engageable to the first adapter forproviding an option to fix an angular position of the first adapter withrespect to the pin by frictionally engaging the set screw to the firstadapter to limit the maximum gas flow or to allow free rotation of thefirst adapter within the second adapter by loosening the set screw sothat the maximum gas flow is not limited by the limit surface.
 2. Amethod of installing a presettable gas valve to a fireplace, the methodcomprising the steps of: connecting the presettable gas valve to acombustible gas source and to the fireplace; closing the presettable gasvalve; positioning a limit surface of a first adapter an annulardistance away from a pin attached to a shaft of the presettable gasvalve by way of rotating the first adapter within a second adapter; andfixing an angular position of the first adapter to set a maximum gasflow through the gas valve by way of tightening a set screw onto thefirst adapter.